GUEST 1 OVERVIEW: Arno Wellens is a financial journalist with previous experience in banking and auditing, including roles at Dexia and Fortis. Interestingly, each of the four banks he ever worked at faced financial difficulties soon after, though this could be purely coincidental. He has been a journalist since 2007, contributing to publications such as Quote, 925.nl, Follow the Money, and Current Ratio. Arno is also the author of the book 'The Euro Evangelie,' which examines the fragile foundation of the European common currency. He is well-known for his 'houseplant tour,' investigating Ukrainian and Russian oligarchs who use Amsterdam as a safe haven for their clandestinely earned wealth, sometimes with the tacit approval of the Dutch government to protect their interests. Arno also uncovered the 'Parex scandal,' revealing how European banks can use derivatives to conceal their true losses from the public. He frequently writes articles on Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) and digitalization in general. You can learn more about him at https://backme.org/content-creator/arnowellens/.
GUEST 2 OVERVIEW: Lars Drakes holds a PhD from Uppsala University and has served as both an associate professor and consulting professor at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, specializing in natural resource and environmental economics. He has supervised the research of 10 PhD students in Sweden, Ethiopia, and Uganda. Lars also spent a year as a visiting assistant professor at Macquarie University in Sydney. In addition to his academic pursuits, he has chaired the organization No to NATO in Sweden. Notably, Lars served as the Captain/Skipper on the Ketch Freedom for Gaza during its journey from Gothenburg to Amsterdam in 2018.